1. Technical Field
The technology presented herein relates to a game system and game information storage medium used for same. More particularly, the technology relates to a game system and game information storage medium used for same, which detects a change amount and direction of a tilt, movement or impact applied to a housing of a portable game apparatus or to a controller of a video game apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In operating the conventional portable game apparatus, a player manipulates the operation switch, such as a direction instructing key joystick) or buttons while holding the video game machine's controller (controller housing) or portable game apparatus' housing by both hands. For example, if the player presses a direction instructing key at any one of up, down, left and right pressing points, a moving (player-controlled) character is moved in the pressed direction of up, down, left or right. If the action button is operated, the moving character is changed in its state of display, e.g. the moving character performs an action, such as jumping, as defined on the action button.
Also, in the conventional game apparatus or game software (game information storage medium), the player can operate the operation switch in order to change the motion of a moving (player-controlled) character acting as a player's other self on the screen. Consequently, it has been difficult for the player to change the game space (or background scene) freely through his or her manipulation.
In the conventional game operation method, the player has been required to remember the way to operate a game according to the suggestion given in the game-software instruction manuals. Furthermore, the use of a general-purpose operation switch has made it difficult to realize a change of the game space (or game scene) in a manner matching the player's feeling of manipulating the operation-switch, resulting in a mismatch between the player's feel of operation and the screen-display state. Under such situations, the player possibly encounters difficulty in concentrating on playing the game before mastering the way to manipulate the game, thus losing his or her interest.
Meanwhile, with the conventional game apparatus or game software, the game space (or background scene) could not have been changed by the player's operation, thus limiting the game space variation and hence amusement result therefrom.
Therefore, it is a primary feature of the example embodiments presented herein to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space according to the operation by a player.
Another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space through simple operation so that a player can concentrate on game play with enhanced enthusiasm without the necessity of skill on operation way.
Still another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can realize the change of a game scene matching an operation feeling through by matching the player's operation and the game-space change.
Yet another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space through the interaction with a plurality of portable game apparatuses to allow a plurality of players to cooperate or compete, thereby providing a variety of game-space change states, enhanced interest of game and virtual reality amusement.
A first exemplary embodiment is a game system having, in a related fashion, a game apparatus having game program storage means storing a game program and processing means for executing the game program, and display means to display an image based on a result of processing by the processing means. The game system includes a housing to be held by a player and change-state detecting means. The change-state detecting means is related to the housing so that it detects at least one of an amount (e.g. tilt amount, movement amount, impact amount or the like) and a direction (e.g. tilt direction, movement direction, impact direction or the like) of a change applied to the housing. The game program storage means stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program.
The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program simulates based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of a change amount and a change direction applied to the housing.
Here, game space means a world of a game that the game is possible to play. The game space is different by game kind or genre, and is presented to a player through a display screen. For example, for an action or roll-playing game having a moving (player-controlled) character to move therein, game space may be a background, a maze or other maps. For a battle game, it may be a ring (in addition to this, the game space includes the space of the audience seats and the space above of ring). For a race game, it may be a space of a course for running the race and a periphery of the course. For a shooting game, a background scene such as a cosmic space for a background of a character (however, characters are not required, and a game space in which no character exists is contemplated). In a game using a tool, game space may be a scene to associate the use of a tool.
Simulation refers to game control for analogously representing a change caused in the actual space in a form of a game-space state change. The change caused in the actual space is based on at least one of an amount and a direction of a tilt, movement or impact applied to the housing. Game control includes the case of simulating a state change of the game space itself and the case of simulating an indirect effect upon another object caused by a change in state of the game space. The former is a case that simulation is made such that, when an impact is given to the housing, a land in the game space is transformed on an assumption that energy has been supplied to the game space. The latter is a case that simulation is made such that, when the housing is tilted, a ball existing on a maze plate rolls on an assumption that the maze plate as an example of the game space is tilted. Where simulating a state change of a game space, it is possible to consider varying a parameter such as a temperature rise in the game space, in addition to causing a change of display including land transformation.
A second exemplary embodiment is a game information storage medium storing a game program and being detachably loaded in a game system. The game system is structured by operating means having a related display means and including a housing to be held by a player, change-state detecting means related to the housing for detecting at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing, and processing means to display on the display means an image obtained by processing a program. The game information storage medium stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program.
The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program provides simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing.
A third exemplary embodiment is a game information storage medium storing a game program and being detachably loaded in a portable game apparatus. The portable game apparatus includes a housing integrally having display means to be held by a player, and processing means to display on the display means an image obtained by processing a program. A change-state detecting means is provided which is related to one of the portable game apparatus and the game information storage medium for detecting at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to one of a housing of the portable game apparatus and the game information storage medium.
The game information storage medium stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program. The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program provides simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing.
A fourth exemplary embodiment is a game system structured at least by two game apparatuses that interact with each other. The two game apparatuses each have game program storage means to store a program, processing means to execute a game program, and a housing to be held by a player, and in a related fashion display means to display an image based on a result of processing by the processing means. At least one of the two game apparatuses is related to its respective housing and has change-state detecting means to detect at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing. The game system further has data transmitting means connected to the two game apparatuses for transmitting mutually-related data to the game apparatus on the opposite side.
The respective game program storage means of the two game apparatuses store game space data and display control programs. The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. The display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. The game program storage means of at least the other of the two game apparatuses further includes a simulation program to provide simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means of the one game apparatus transmitted through the data transmitting means such that a state of the game space of the other of the game apparatuses is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing of one of the game apparatuses.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a game system and game information storage medium used for same that can change a state of a game space.
Also, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can change the state of a game space through simple operation so that a player can concentrate on game play with enhanced enthusiasm without the necessity of skill on operation ways.
Also, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can realize the change of a game scene matched to an operation feeling through matching the player's operation and the game-space change.
Further, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can change the state of a game space through the interaction with a plurality of portable game apparatuses to allow a plurality of players to cooperate or compete, thereby providing a variety of game-space change states, an enhanced interest in the game and virtual reality amusement.
The above described features, aspects and advantages of the present embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.